Healthy People 2020: Nutrition, Physical Activity & Obesity
This paper examines the Healthy People 2020 initiative's focus on nutrition, physical activity, and obesity in the United States. It reviews current statistics on fruit and vegetable consumption, physical activity levels, and obesity prevalence among adults and adolescents, noting significant regional variation. The paper discusses the serious health consequences of obesity — including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers — as well as its estimated $147 billion annual economic cost. Environmental, behavioral, social, and genetic factors contributing to obesity are analyzed. Finally, the paper outlines key Healthy People 2020 objectives targeting improved nutrition standards in child care and schools.
- Introduction: Overview of Healthy People 2020 nutrition and obesity focus
- Current Obesity Statistics in the U.S.: National and state-level obesity and activity data
- Health and Economic Consequences of Obesity: Disease risks and $147 billion annual cost
- Factors Influencing Nutrition, Activity, and Obesity: Environmental, behavioral, social, and genetic causes
- Healthy People 2020 Objectives and Initiatives: Policy goals for child care and school nutrition
- Conclusion: Government nutrition resources and individual guidance
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What makes this paper effective
- Uses specific statistics from authoritative sources (CDC, Healthy People 2020, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) to substantiate claims about obesity prevalence and costs.
- Addresses multiple dimensions of the problem — behavioral, environmental, social, and genetic — demonstrating a well-rounded understanding of obesity's causes.
- Connects the problem analysis directly to policy objectives, showing how the Healthy People 2020 initiative responds to documented public health needs.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper effectively uses a problem-solution structure: it first establishes the scope and severity of the obesity crisis with empirical data, then explains the multifactorial causes, and finally links these findings to concrete policy goals. This approach grounds policy discussion in evidence and makes the argument for intervention logically coherent.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a brief framing of the Healthy People 2020 initiative, then presents national obesity and activity statistics. It moves into health and financial consequences before analyzing environmental, behavioral, social, and genetic contributing factors. The final substantive section outlines specific Healthy People 2020 targets for child care nutrition standards and school food policies. The paper is concise and structured for an introductory undergraduate audience.
Introduction
The Healthy People 2020 initiative examines a number of different health issues facing the American population and sets goals for improving the nation's overall health status. One of its key topics is nutrition, physical activity, and obesity.
The consumption of a healthy diet and a sufficient level of physical activity are essential for maintaining a healthy weight. A major issue in the United States is an increasingly prevalent level of obesity. Problems contributing to this include the consumption of excessive calories, high intakes of saturated and trans fats, and high intakes of other unhealthy substances such as sugar, cholesterol, salt, and alcohol (Healthy People, 2012). This is further aggravated by insufficient physical activity to burn off the calories consumed, which leads the body to store energy and results in weight gain.
Current Obesity Statistics in the U.S.
Current statistics indicate a significant problem. According to the Healthy People 2020 document, it is estimated that fewer than one-third of adults eat the recommended levels of fruits and vegetables, with figures for adolescents being even lower. Furthermore, 81.6% of adults and 81.8% of adolescents do not undertake the recommended levels of physical activity (Healthy People, 2012). This has contributed to a situation in which 34% of adults and 16.2% of adolescents are obese (Healthy People, 2012).
However, obesity is not evenly distributed across the entire U.S. population; some states have a greater problem than others. According to the CDC, the state with the highest prevalence of obesity was Mississippi, with an overall rate of 34%, while even the state with the lowest prevalence — Colorado — had a rate of 21% (CDC, 2012).
Health and Economic Consequences of Obesity
The impact of obesity on health is significant, increasing risks for a number of conditions including, but not limited to, high blood pressure, cardiac disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, and some cancers. In 2001, it was estimated that approximately 300,000 deaths occurred in the U.S. each year as a direct result of obesity (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2001).
The financial cost is also substantial. It is estimated that the annual cost of obesity to the United States is $147 billion per year, with healthcare costs for an obese person being 43% higher than for a person of healthy weight (Paddock, 2009). These figures underscore the urgency of public health interventions targeting obesity prevention and management.
Conclusion
For individuals who wish to pursue a healthier diet, the U.S. government has established Nutrition.gov, a useful and informative resource providing a wide range of information on diet and nutrition in an easy-to-understand format. The site includes advice on shopping, recipes, meal planning, food assistance programs, and weight management — supporting individuals in making healthier choices alongside broader public health efforts.
CDC. (2012). U.S. obesity trends. Retrieved April 5, 2012, from
Faith, M. S., & Kral, T. V. E. (2006). Social environmental and genetic influences on obesity and obesity-promoting behaviors: Fostering research integration. In L. M. Hernandez & D. G. Blazer (Eds.), Genes, behavior, and the social environment: Moving beyond the nature/nurture debate. National Academies Press.
Healthy People. (2012). Retrieved April 6, 2012, from http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/default.aspx
Nutrition.gov. (2012). Retrieved April 6, 2012, from http://www.nutrition.gov/
Paddock, C. (2009). Obesity healthcare costs U.S. 147 billion dollars a year, new study. Medical News Today. Retrieved April 6, 2012, from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/158948.php
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2001). Overweight and obesity: A major public health issue. Prevention Report. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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